12"x20" portra 160 nc color negativ film

[christoph morlinghaus]

until end of february kodak had a stock of 12x20 160 nc film (cat 153 0781). unfortunately that film has been scrapped. they might be willing to make another batch but only for 30.000$ prepaid which is a bit out of my league. there is a lab in san francisco (light waves) that can process c41 12x20 and has done so in the past with great results. i don't know the price per box right now.
anybody out there who might be interested?

[Tedd]

Hello Christoph!

SAY IT AIN'T SOOO!!!!!

I REALLY hope this isn't true as I am about to place an order for the film. I can't understand why it would have been scrapped as it should have had another year before the exp. date.

Where did you find this out at? I know quite a bit about this original order and I have been in touch with the Product Planer as well.
The retail price for a 10 sheet box is/was 310 dollars a box.

Tedd

[christoph morlinghaus]

hi tedd,

i found that out when i tried to order this week at light waves. nobody bought it recently. i can forward you kodak's e-mails, i don't want to put them here on the net. but they are very specific and the film has really been scrapped.

[CXC]

I take it you guys are doing color contact prints?

[Thomas Cierzo]

Is the film going away entirely, or just in the 12x20 format?

[Tedd]

This makes me SO MAD! I had even worked with Kodak to reduce the minimum oder of 30 boxes down to 5.
If they were planing on scrapping it why not make contact with me since we were alreadu in touch!?

Christoph please do forward the emails to me. tedd@soost.com

CXC- Contact prints yes but also color enlargements. I and an LF lab here in Sweden just finished building a 20x24 enlarger with a color head!
It is a horisontal and the largest B&W print is 1,2x2 meters. We will be testing it this weekend. I will post pics soon.

The lab you can read about here: http://www.forstoringsateljen.se/fa.html
The english version is coming soon....

[Johnny Eng]

I have the interest of this film. Please post the result here.

[Scott Davis]

I too would be very interested in this film as I am working on building a 12x20 portrait-format camera (12" wide x 20" tall) to use in the studio. While I primarily intend to shoot b/w for alt process printing, it would be nice to offer color prints as an option.

[Jan Van Hove]

Sorry, I've missed that thread when it came up a few days ago...
I would just like to point out that J&C had been in close contact with Kodak for quite some time now to make t-max available in ULF sizes... Why not allow them to handle the sales of the film instead of scrapping it???

Scrapping it? 10 000$ worth of film to the garbage?????

I just don't get it...

PJ

[Diane Maher]

I would have been interested in a few boxes so I could get it cut down into 5x12 sheets. However, more than three boxes at once would be way too much (space and dollar-wise).

[Tedd]

Talked to Damian at Light Waves.
Everyone has until 2pm california time to place an order for 12x20 Portra 160NC.

Received the following in a mail from Damian:

My name is Damian Taylor and I manage a fine art/commercial photolab in San Francisco, CA. One of our clients is placing an order for 12x20 film through us. His order will satisfy the minimum required by Kodak so anyone else who is interested can order as little as 1 box. (Just remember it could be awhile before more is ordered). Here's the deal with 12x20 Exhibition Grade Processing.

The film is Kodak Portra 160 NC.
It goes for $318.00 for a box of 10 sheets. Sales tax will only be applied if you live in California.
As this is a special order, all orders must be pre-paid. You are responsible for shipping and customs charges if applicable. The order is being placed Monday 1/8/2007 so we will need your order by 2pm PST Monday 1/8/2007 – sorry for the short notice. Kodak informs us that the film should be shipped to us 6-8 weeks after the order is placed but that is not guaranteed as we’re at Kodaks mercy.

We are able to process this film. Processing runs $30.00 a sheet.
Turn around is approximate. You should expect a 1.5-2 week turn-around per 10-20 sheets but we can't guarantee that. Clients using this service need to be aware that there is occasionally some film damage inherent in the process. We're seeing small scuff marks or scratches on approximately 30% of the film that is processed. Clients also need be aware that there is a 2-3% chance of a sheet being lost entirely. While we don't charge for the processing in these cases we can't take any further responsibility, financially or otherwise.

Give me a ring or drop me an email with any questions.

Thanks

Damian Taylor
Light Waves
415.431.9651



Tedd

[william linne]

60+ dollars a shot, plus a 32% chance of loss or damage during processing. You gotta really wanna shoot some color film,eh?

W.

[Tedd]

Granted it sounds like quit a bet.

I personally have never had any work done by Light Waves as I am in Stockholm Sweden. When I have my 12x20 negs developed at a lab I use Europes best lab which happens to be in Sthlm. They have dip-n-dunk machines which have NEVER given me an uneven or damaged neg. Plus that we have rebuilt a DeVere 508H horisontal into a 20x24 horizontal color enlarger I am really looking forward to an analog 4,6x9,8 foot color print!

Tedd

[Renee Galang]

I love to buy a few boxes of this film if it comes in 11x14! Please let me know if it does Damian

[eddie]

i hope you guys get your film. sounds great. i wish i had a 12x20.....or maybe just use one a few times....


eddie

[Tedd]

Well a late update. I have had the luck of receiving 2 boxes of the 12x20 Portra 160NC last week! Yipee!!!!

I took to shots last night and dropped them off at the lab where we have the 20x24 color enlarger. The first negs is fantastic and beyond description. As soon as we get it scanned I will post it here.

It turns out that shortly after Kodak had scrapped the film, Lightwaves had placed a new order as mentioned above.

I think we ought to start a new thread inorder to organize a new production from Kodak. Who's game?

[Barry Wilkinson]

Teddan,

I would be interested in this film. I would cut it down to 5x12, so would only be interested a couple of boxes at any time. Hopefully I will find a processor somewhere in the UK, or maybe send it to Sweden.

I hope this works out, sounds very interesting. Keep me informed.

Regards

Barry
UK

[Sylvester Graham]

Clients also need be aware that there is a 2-3% chance of a sheet being lost entirely.
Tedd

Wha? Where does it go? Get sucked down the drain?!

[Ted Harris]

Some general info on Kodak special orders.

1) They must be placed through an authorized Kodak dealer. That could be a retail store, a lab, a large volume industrial users, etc.

2) The minimum order is $10,000 usually.

It is possible. I just put up a thread for folks interested in 160NC in 5x7. There is a special order for it getting put together as I write and they just need a dozen or less boxes to complete the order.

[R.B. Armstrong]

Here's my first post on this forum, so please forgive me if I stumble on protocol.

Damien at Light Waves in San Fran is again gathering information from Kodak for the possibility in placing a special order for 12x20" Portra 160 color neg film. Of course, after getting from Kodak the minimum order size and price per box of 10, he'll need a group of people ready, willing and able to fulfill the order.

Anyone interested? He has also provided more thorough information about the ability to get the film processed.

[Pete Roody]

I touched a 5-ft high stack of 12x20 160nc film today. It is sitting near the front door of Fotocare in NYC. Will be shipped to China shortly. Worth about $17.5K.

[R.B. Armstrong]

We're trying to put together a group effort to order 12x20" Portra 160NC color film through Light Waves in San Francisco.

Here's a message from Light Waves posted on the Google Group "Large Format Photography": "As most of you know, more will not be forthcoming without a pre-paid order through Light Waves from Kodak. I just spoke to our contact at Kodak and he believes that another order would be possible. The minimum order would be 46 boxes of 10 sheets each. At $318/box that could come to $14628. I'll leave it up to you guys to discuss if that would be possible at any point in the future."

You can join the Google Group "Large Format Photography" to see the recent posts specific to this effort to pool resources and fulfill the special order. I would like to order 3-4 boxes.

Thanks.

[R.B. Armstrong]

The minimum order is 60 boxes, but the price per box has dropped down to $300.55 plus shipping. Someone has committed to at least 30 boxes, so we're getting close to meeting the min.